The two dozen passengers on yesterday's 7:40 a.m. ferry found much to enjoy on the 45-minute commute from Richmond to San Francisco: a relaxing ride, a spectacular view -- and a lot of room.

"It's wonderful," said Jennifer Sobol, a real estate developer from El Cerrito. "I hope they get more riders, because I really like it."

A week after its inaugural run, the Richmond-San Francisco ferry has won rave reviews from patrons, but it has ways to go before being hailed a popular route.

About 100 people rode the ferry daily over the past week, about half of the projected ridership, according to Red and White Fleet, the ferry operator.

Yesterday, the 6 a.m. ferry from Richmond had only 4 passengers, said Capt. Jack Goldthorpe.

Terry Koenig, the company's vice president of sales and marketing, is not worried, saying it usually takes time for a new route to attract riders.

Red and White Fleet is trying to get the word out to city councils in West Contra Costa county and other community groups, including Richmond's more than 30 neighborhood councils, Koenig said.

Two vessels, the Harbor Queen and the Royal Prince, run between Richmond's Ferry Terminal on Harbor Way South and San Francisco's Ferry Building. The morning ferries run from 4:20 a.m. to 9 a.m., and the afternoon ferries from 4:20 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A one-way fare costs $5.

Weekend ferries also take passengers to Fisherman's Wharf.

The ferry service is designed to ease traffic on Interstate 80 from Richmond to the Bay Bridge, one of the region's worst commute routes.

Nick Mythen, an architect from Pinole, said it used to take him an hour and 15 minutes to drive to San Francisco. It takes about the same time by ferry, he said.

"But I'm able to do more work," he said. "It's a lot more relaxing. I think it's great."

Kate Lord, a legal secretary from Richmond, used to take BART to work in San Francisco but has begun taking the ferry instead. It's more expensive, she said, but it's worth it.

Jim Reed, Red and White's vice president for operations, said the Richmond-San Francisco fare is high because, unlike other ferries, it is not subsidized.

Mythen has one gripe: "They could use a little more speed."

Goldthorpe said the Royal Prince, which also offers one-hour sightseeing cruises around San Francisco Bay, has a top speed of about 13.5 miles per hour.